This invention pertains to the art of appliances for linear bodies and more particularly to a dead end appliance for such bodies.
The invention is particularly applicable to a drop wire dead end appliance of the type typically used with the electrical distribution lines or cables, telephone lines and the like and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention has broader applications and could be advantageously employed in other environments.
In the context of the subject application, a drop wire may be generally described as a service line such as an electrical or telephone wire extending from a distribution line to a point of service connection. Typically, the distribution lines extend between line poles disposed adjacent streets, roads and the like and the service or drop wires are connected to the distribution lines for supplying electrical power, telephone service and the like to individual customers. Usually, the individual customer terminal area or connection is disposed near ground level with the distribution line connection being substantially elevated therefrom. Thus, and in order to retain the drop wire elevated over the span thereof so as to not be damaged by vehicles and the like passing thereunder, the span is also elevated adjacent the customer terminal area thereof by means of affixing it to a service pole or the building which is to be serviced. That portion of the drop wire extending from this mounting to the customer terminal area is commonly referred to as the drop end.
It has been desirable to provide what are termed ead end appliances for purposes of mounting and supporting the drop wire span above the terminal area of the line as generally described above. Some prior dead end appliance and clamp designs have met with commercial success, although the overall design and construction therefore have been somewhat more complicated than deemed necessary and/or desirable. Moreover, such prior dead end appliances and clamps have included a number of cooperative component parts which add to overall manufacturing costs. Further, the number of component parts involved lead to and cause some practical installation problems. Accordingly, it has been desired to develop a more simplistic drop wire dead end appliance in order to reduce manufacturing costs and installation problems.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved article which meets the above noted criteria and others and provides a new drop wire dead end appliance which is simple in design, economical to manufacture, simple to install and which is readily adaptable to use in any number of drop wire type installations and environments.